All Aboard: Georgia’s Bold Vision to Transform the I-75 Corridor

Game Changers
Oct 29
3 min read

By Game Changers Magazine | Game Changers Media Network Voices of the Village Podcast – Where Change Starts with Conversation

When you think about the future of transportation in Georgia, you probably imagine more lanes, more trucks, more traffic. But in a packed studio conversation that felt more like a town hall than an interview, former Macon mayors C. Jack Ellis and Robert Rickard, along with Bibb County Commissioner Stanley Stewart, painted a different picture: a future where freight moves safer, cars stay off the highway, and you can hop a train from Atlanta to Macon, Savannah, or even Washington D.C.—without fighting I-75 traffic.

“We are over the target,” Rickard said. “Federal funding, the FRA corridor program, and Senator Ossoff’s earmarks for an environmental impact study are all converging right now. The time is perfect to get this done.”

A Vision Decades in the Making

Former Mayor Ellis recalled the early days, when Macon fought to save its historic Terminal Station and transform it into a multimodal hub. That decision, he noted, is why Macon is now positioned to be a central player in a statewide passenger rail network.

“We were able to purchase and preserve that station with almost $9 million in earmarks,” Ellis said. “If we hadn’t done that, there wouldn’t even be a place for Amtrak or a future high-speed rail to stop.”

Commissioner Stewart, representing the new generation of leadership, has already helped pass a resolution supporting the project.

“Everything is driven by citizens,” Stewart said. “My job is to keep them engaged, keep them educated, and make sure this vision stays alive until it’s reality.”

Economic Development & Smart Growth

The trio emphasized that passenger rail is not just about convenience — it’s about strategic economic development.

Reducing Congestion & Pollution: Taking cars off I-75 improves air quality and reduces one of Georgia’s most dangerous commuter corridors.
Freight Rail Benefits: Upgraded lines mean fewer derailments and safer transport of hazardous materials.
Business Expansion: From small businesses in rural Georgia to Fortune 500 logistics centers, a modern rail network opens new opportunities for trade, jobs, and tourism.

“Atlanta can be the hub for the entire Southeast,” Rickard said. “Just as Hartsfield-Jackson transformed Atlanta over the past 50 years, passenger rail could be just as transformative for the next 50.”

Funding the Future

One of the biggest public concerns is funding — but the leaders made it clear: federal dollars are leading the way. The Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act was a bipartisan effort, and Georgia’s congressional delegation has already secured millions for corridor planning and environmental studies.

Ellis added that Georgia may need to modernize its constitutional rules on transportation funding, allowing gas taxes and other revenues to support rail and multimodal infrastructure, not just roads and bridges.

Public-Private Partnerships & Tourism

Georgia’s small businesses stand to gain enormously. With tourism events like Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day Festival, Macon’s Cherry Blossom Festival, and major sports games in Atlanta, rail could deliver thousands of visitors safely and efficiently.

“You can start the party on the train,” Rickard joked. “And you don’t have to worry about a designated driver.”

The Next Stops: 2026 and Beyond

With route selection scheduled by 2026 and full corridor planning by 2028, the coalition stressed the need for continued citizen advocacy. Public engagement, they argue, is the difference between sprawl and smart growth.

“If you think traffic is bad now,” Stewart said, “wait 10 years if we don’t act. This is our chance to build the future.”

A Call to Action

The conversation ended with a challenge to Georgians: call your mayor, your commissioner, your state representative. Show up at hearings. Demand investment.